In a market long dominated by Hollywood, French films are
consistently the most widely distributed non-English language
works. French cinema, however, appears to undergo a transformation
as it reaches Britain, becoming something quite different to that
experienced by audiences at home. Drawing on extensive archival
research the authors examine in detail the discourses, debates and
decisions which have determined the place accorded to French cinema
in British film culture. In so doing they provide a fascinating
account of this particular instance of transnational cinematic
traffic while simultaneously shedding new light on British film
history. From the early days of the Film Society, via the advent of
the X certificate to the new possibilities of video and DVD, this
book reveals the complex and detailed history of the distribution,
exhibition, marketing and reception of French cinema in
Britain.